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Ed Markey not concerned with poor voter turnout predicted for Tuesday's U.S. Senate special election

Markey-at-Pickle-Barrel-in-Worcester.jpg

Congressman Edward Markey told reporters on Monday he wasn't concerned about the poor voter turnout predicted for Tuesday's U.S. Senate special election because his campaign team and volunteers had reached out to three million people in the days leading up to the election.
(Kevin Koczwara/MassLive.com)

"We had 15,000 volunteers over the final five days and we contacted three million people in the final five days, so we find a high degree of enthusiasm out there," Markey said of his team. "This organization we put together is absolutely doing its job and we're finding a tremendous response across the state."

Galvin told reporters on Monday that voter turnout on Tuesday will likely be the lowest for a U.S. Senate election in at least 30 years. Galvin estimates the turnout will be around 37 percent of 4.6 million voters in the state.

"We are trying to generate the highest possible turnout that is imaginable...and we do feel an incredible amount of enthusiasm," said Markey. "There were hundreds of people at every stop we've had over the last three or four days, so I just think the experts are wrong, the people really care about this election."

Markey believes people in Massachusetts will be able to juggle distractions like the Boston Bruins, who are playing game six of the Stanley Cup Finals Monday night in Boston against the Chicago Blackhawks, and get out and vote on Tuesday.

"I think in Massachusetts there are two things people think about: sports and politics. And I think they do both every day," said Markey.

"I think [voters are] going to be rooting for the Bruins tonight and then they're going to be voting tomorrow and then they're going to be rooting for the Bruins to win game seven," Markey continued. "I think they're going to be moving day to day making sure that politics and the Bruins are both something at the front of their minds. And I'm convinced the voters of Massachusetts can do both simultaneously. In fact, I grew up doing both simultaneously."

A Suffolk University poll released on Monday shows Markey holding a 10 point lead over Gomez going into Tuesday's election.<hr>